Chapter 101 - 98: The East Sea Demon Plagues the World, the Sword Immortal Descends the Mountain to Save the People_1
Tribulation Transcendence is the eighth realm of cultivation. Those who enter this realm can be called Earth Immortals, giving birth to immortal light amid destructive thunder, becoming immensely powerful and unmatched. Of course, the realm’s incomprehensible perils were enough to make countless people tremble in fear.
The seven major realms of Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Travel, and Saint Manifestation—though also divided into the Ninth Heaven—are merely about the accumulation of one’s cultivation level and comprehension of the Dao. But for the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, from the moment one stepped into this realm, they had to be prepared to be struck by lightning. Each ascent through one of the heavens required facing a baptism of the Heavenly Tribulation, and the power of the thunder tribulation grew ever more formidable.
If one passed the thunder tribulation, more immortal light and Immortal Qi would be born within the body, allowing them to advance further on the path of the Earth Immortals, possessing greater strength and a longer lifespan. But should one fail to endure it, they would perish and their Dao would vanish, with millennia of cultivation gone in an instant. Therefore, most Earth Immortals at the Transcendence Tribulation Stage were extremely cautious and terrified when facing their Heavenly Tribulation, with some even starting preparations a hundred years in advance.
However, the White-clothed Sword Immortal in this scene seemed to pay no heed to the Heavenly Tribulation. He leisurely removed the wine gourd from his waist and took a hearty swig of fine liquor. Then, before the Heavenly Tribulation could descend, he charged straight toward the dense dark clouds. His long sword transformed into countless beams of purple light, colliding with the endless lightning within the tribulation clouds.
BOOM...
The Heavenly Tribulation seemed to have been provoked, and the lightning in the clouds became even more ferocious. The terrifying power of thunder took the form of various divine and fierce beasts that rushed toward the White-clothed Sword Immortal. Some transformed into the divine Vermilion Bird, whose outstretched wings unleashed endless thunderous flames to surge and ravage. Others took the form of the Metal White Tiger, its robust power of thunder converging into tens of thousands of blades that blanketed a vast expanse of the sky. Still others became the Kylin, a single step causing thunder to burst forth and the void to shatter.
Nevertheless, the White-clothed Sword Immortal showed no sign of evasion; he joyfully drank the fine wine from his gourd while dueling the endless horde of tribulation beasts. Thousands of swords flew in unison, manifesting all sorts of profound sword techniques. A casual strike could shatter several layers of the void, and through the cracks, one could even see the terrifying cosmic tides.
「Inside the private room.」
"This is the Wrathful Heaven Sword Scripture!"
"And there’s the Qiankun Sword Scripture and Gale Sword Scripture!"
"Even our cousin’s Heavenly Timing Sword Scripture seems easy for this senior to summon. Could he be one of our Sword Sect’s long-lost ancient ancestors?"
Li Longhao and the others watched with blazing eyes, their faces filled with barely concealed excitement. It was known that the scenes manifested by the Sonic Realm typically fell into two categories. Firstly, they could represent scenes imagined in the composer’s mind, like Zhuangzi dreaming of butterflies and envisioning three thousand worlds. However, such cases were rare, as an unfounded vision like drifting duckweed could scarcely support the Sonic Realm condensed by a timeless melody.
Secondly, composers could incorporate what they had seen and experienced into their music. If those who came later could cultivate the piece to a high degree of mastery, they could generate Sonic Resonance through the musical rhythm, thus re-manifesting the composer’s past visions and experiences, similar to a mirage.
This White-clothed Sword Immortal had reached the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, and all the various sword scriptures he wielded had, at the very least, been cultivated to a highly advanced stage. A single gesture from him summoned invincible killing moves. For the four Li Family brothers, as Sword Cultivators, witnessing the projected image of his sword techniques during his tribulation was an enormous stroke of fortune. For a moment, even the least reliable Li Longji snapped to attention, his eyes wide open, fixating intensely on the scene within the Sonic Realm.
One sword!
Two swords!
Three swords!
...
Ten swords!
A hundred swords!
A thousand swords!
...
The White-clothed Sword Immortal cut a swath through the thunder, appearing to have also mastered some of the mysteries of the Thunder Path. He seemed to merge with the tribulation clouds, brandishing his sword within them, carefree and unrestrained, like a deity.
Although his originally white clothes were now tattered and torn from the ravages of the endless thunder, and his once flowing hair now stood frazzled and unkempt, he looked only somewhat disheveled. The thrill and abandon on the White-clothed Sword Immortal’s face were undeniably genuine; he truly treated this thunder tribulation as a delightful amusement. This person could well be called a peerless prodigy of his era!
Perhaps even the Heavenly Tribulation was reluctant to trouble such a dashing Sword Immortal. After countless clashes, the tribulation clouds in the sky finally began to disperse slowly. The Sword Immortal stood proudly in the void. The white Daoist robe on his body was tattered beyond repair and his aura was somewhat diminished, yet the light in his eyes shone brighter than before, a radiance that pierced straight up to the Ninth Heaven.
In that same moment, the originally tense, rapid, and shrill music of the qin suddenly became high-pitched, bold, and unrestrained. Instantly, the numerous listeners in Phoenix Perch Building could not help but develop a deep yearning for the path of sword cultivation, wishing they could immediately switch to cultivating the Sword Dao to become such an unrestrained Sword Immortal in the future.
Is this the Tribulation-Passing Immortal Melody? It’s truly extraordinary, capable of simulating part of the Heavenly Tribulation’s oppressive might. If one could listen to this piece a few more times and observe this profound Sonic Realm more often, it would bring immense benefits to one’s cultivation, significantly broadening one’s horizons.
Just when many believed that the Tribulation-Passing Immortal Melody was drawing to a close, the tune of the qin changed once again.
Tense!
Rapid!
Deep!
It was like the prelude to a coming storm, making people involuntarily clutch their chests. Suddenly, heavy and dense drumbeats sounded, completely overpowering the qin music. The sky within the Sonic Realm, originally clear and tranquil, dimmed in just an instant.
To the east, the previously bright sky was shrouded in a thick, dark aura. Within that endless black air, tens, even hundreds of thousands of demons and monsters surged and roared, sending chills down one’s spine. Like a fierce gale, they swept toward city after city, leaving nothing alive in their wake. Among them were terrifying giants whose bodies were hundreds, or even over a thousand feet tall. The oppressive aura they emitted caused the very void to crack; they were clearly horrifying existences capable of battling the Great Abilities of the Human Race. However, as these demonic tides wreaked havoc, they intentionally avoided the immortal mountains, as if aware that those were not to be trifled with.
Instantly, the once carefree and joyous music of the qin took on a grave tone, causing countless people in Phoenix Perch Building to involuntarily clench their fists.
Oppression. Extreme oppression.
The qin music gradually fell silent, and the drumming also subsided. Only the silent Sonic Realm continued to unfold, creating scenes that made one’s eyes split with rage. Finally, after a prolonged period of oppression, the piercingly shrill sound of a suona cut through the skies.
As the suona sounded, a streak of crimson sword light shot out from the peak of the myriad mountains. It transformed into a phoenix of sword qi high above the Ninth Heaven, carrying endless flames as it charged toward the churning, dark demonic clouds. With one sword strike, it split open the demonic clouds that spanned thousands of miles. Fearless and unruly, its domineering sword intent shattered the sky for thousands of miles, its cold light freezing the Nineteen Provinces!
It was the White-clothed Sword Immortal. In the end, he had not chosen to remain aloof. He had finally stepped out from the deep mountains, rushing toward the endless horde of the Demon Race.
Flames.
Sword light.
Thunder.
In that moment, he shone as brilliantly as a radiant sun, piercing through the black demonic clouds time and time again. Wherever his sword light passed, the endless black clouds dissolved like melting ice.
The heavens are my canvas, the demons the paper, for my sword to paint upon with wild abandon!
Sharp.
Bold.
Unrestrained.
Amid the savage suona music, the White-clothed Sword Immortal soared like a furious dragon, pouncing through the inky sea. A tumultuous river of sword energy surged forth, and no enemy could withstand a single one of his blows.
Witnessing the Sword Immortal battling freely within the colossal phenomenon, countless young men and women inside Phoenix Perch Building felt their blood boil, longing to leap into the Sonic Realm and dance along with him.
However, the situation quickly changed again. There were simply too many demons concealed within the demonic clouds, among them many with exceedingly high cultivation levels. The Sword Immortal’s brazen provocation quickly aroused the fury of the demon swarm, and in an instant, numerous fearsome beasts lunged at him.
An even fiercer battle was about to erupt.